Apparatus fob turning the leaves of books



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

H. C. BRIDGHAM, OF NElV LONDON, AND JAMES M. STEWART, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR TURNING THE LEAVES OF BOOKS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,660, dated September 12, 1854.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that we, HEZEKIAH C. BRIDG- i-IAM, of the city and county of New London and State of Connecticut, and JAMES M. STEWART, of the city of Norwich and county and State aforesaid, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Turning the Leaves of Music and other Books; and we do hereby declare that the same is described and represented in the following specification and drawings.

The nature of our invention consists in applying to an ordinary music rack, certain devices which enable the performer to turn the leaves of the music book, by means of a touch of the-finger, knee or foot, in succession when required. Also in devices to turn the leaves separately when a portion of a tune is repeated, so constructed as not to derange the apparatus which turns the leaves successively; and lastly in closing the forks of the fingers which turn the leaves by means of a spring or making one finger of the fork elastic so as to close and grip the leaf.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our improvements we will proceed to describe their construction, use and operation referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the same let-t-ers indicate like parts in each of the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our apparatus fastened to a music rack and holdingthe leaves of a book. Fig. 2 is a view of the under side; Fig. 3 is a section showing a portion or part of the interior.

In these drawings c c is the plate or case of our apparatus fastened to the music rack A A in Fig. 1.. To this case c c the other parts of the apparatus are affixed or adjusted; the top and bottom of said case being perforated for the pin Z) to which pin a series of collars 7c are fitted so as to turn freely upon it; each of which collars is provided with a finger I made in the form represented and provided with a spring L to hold or press the leaf of the book firmly against the finger so that the leaf will be moved by the finger in either direction. Each of the lingers I I is also provided with a knob as represented numbered from 1 to 8 inclusive.

Each of the collars K has a groove in its periphery for the cord n which is fastened in said groove and passes around the pulley D and is fastened to thespring J, the opposite end of which spring is fastened to the end of the case C. These cords and springs are arranged to turn all the lingers I I over to the left and hold them there unless they are turned to the opposite side by the operator, when the pawl O which is made in the form represented and provided with a spring which forces it into a notch in the collar K, and holds the finger over at the right hand, until .the pawl is released by one of the pins P in the roller m which acts against the opposite end of the pawl and raises it out` of the notch, when the spring J and cord n draw the finger over to the left carrying the leaf with it.

The roller m is provided with a series of pins P one for each pawl and is fastened to its shaft which turns in holesV in the side of the case C, by the ratchet wheel H which is acted upon by the pawl G fastened to the lever F and held in contact with the wheel H by the spring S fastened to the lever F i:

as represented.

The lever F vibrates on the lower end of the pin b and is made in the form represented and connected to the lever X by the cord Y which cord may pass over pulleys, or through guides, so that the lever may be arranged near the floor, so as to be depressed by the foot of the operator whenever he wishes a leaf turned from right to left; the pins P in the roller m being arranged so as to raise the pawls O O in succession when required, and the teeth in the ratchet H being made to correspond with the pins in the roller. The detent spring T is fastened to the case C and acts as a pawl to prevent the ratchet H and roller m from being turned in the wrong direction.

Vile have now described so much of our apparatus as turns the leaves in regular succession, and we will proceed to describe -that partl of it which is designed to turn the leaves, when a portion of a tune is repeated. The performer having played the first siX leaves of a tune and wants to repeat that portion of it which is upon the last three leaves played; he accordingly turns the fingers Nos. 4L, 5 and 6 from the left the right, so` that they are caught and held by the pawls 0 0 as heretofore described, and proceeds to repeat, and when he wants a leaf turned he depresses lever a, number 4 and turns the rock shaft to which it is fastened, vibrating t-he lever connected to the pawl 0 by the link B, so as to draw the pawl out of the notch in the collar K, when the spring J and cord u operates the finger I, No. et. and turns the leaf from right to left as heretofore described, and as he proceeds he depresses the next levers a a, Nos. 5 and 6, at the proper time which release the corresponding fingers to turn the leaves as required; and when he has done repeat ing and proceeds he depresses the lever at the proper time so as to release finger 7 which turns the leaf for him to proceed and finish the piece or tune being played.

By using the levers a ce in repeating; that part of the apparat-us which is used to turn the leaves in succession remains stationary Aand no part of it is deranged by the operation of the apparatus in repeating; so that when the repeated. .portion is completed whether repeated one or more times, it, the apparatus used to turn the leaves, successively is ready to be operated, so as to turn the leaves for the remainder of the tune or piece performed.

Our apparatus as above described possesses some advantages over most if not all others. lst. The performer can turn back any number of leaves in any part of t-he tune or piece and then turn them forward again at pleasure, which is a very great convenience. 2d. It is so simple in its construct-ion that there is very little danger of its getting out of order, and if it should by any casualty, it may be put in order again by a person of very limited skill. 3d. It is compactly constructed and may be attached to musical. instruments and stands with the greatest facility, and it forms a very attractive feature when so attached, and is so ornamental as to render it a desirable acquisition.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

l. The combination and arrangement of the lever F, pawl Gr, ratchet wheel H, and pin roller m, or their equivalents so constructed and operated as to raise the pawls 0 0 in succession and allow the fingers to turn the leaves of a book as required.

2. The combination and arrangement which operates the fingers separately when the leaves of a book are turned back to repeat a portion of the tune, in combination with the apparatus which operates the fingers successively substantially as described; the apparatus which operates the fingers separately when used in repeating, being so constructed and arranged as not to derange the apparatus which operates the fingers successively.

3. h/laking one fork of the fingers elastic, 0r operating it with a spring, so as to grip the leaf of a book when placed between said forks substantially as described.

I H. C. BRIDGHAM.

JAS. M. STEWART. Witnesses:

E. P. RANDALL, Trios CRooKnR. 

